Derrick Majozi
April 2006
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
The Times
South Africa
Nov 27, 2007
KZN nurse guilty of road rage murder
A KwaZulu-Natal nurse has been convicted of the road rage murder of a taxi driver in the Pietermaritzburg High Court today.
Judge Chris Nicholson will sentence nurse Simanga Mthembu, 37, on Thursday for killing Derrick Majozi, 29, on a Sunday in April last year.
A friend of Mthembu told the court that he was a passenger in Mthembu´s car on the day of the crime, and Mthembu had to take evasive action when Majozi´s taxi left a taxi rank.
Both drivers alighted. Instead of apologising, the taxi driver acted aggressively.
Mthembu told the taxi driver to get a "proper driver´s licence" because he had been driving in a dangerous fashion.
They then went their separate ways.
Six hours later, the two drivers met again and had another confrontation.
Mthembu drew his car in front of the taxi and shot at Majozi, who suffered at least three bullet wounds.
A district surgeon also found bruises on Majozi´s body, which were ascribed to blows from a blunt object or boot.
Mthembu expressed remorse after his conviction, saying he wished he were able to reverse the events that led to Majozi´s death.
Sapa
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=641065
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IOL
Nov 30, 2007
A dedicated nurse who shot and killed a taxi driver after they were involved in a road rage incident, was jailed for 18 years in the High Court here on Thursday.
Simanga Wiseman Mthembu, 37, of Pietermaritzburg, fatally shot taxi driver Derrick Majozi, 29, six hours after Mthembu took evasive action when Majozi allegedly did not stop at a stop street in April last year.
In a confrontation, Mthembu told Majozi: "Get a proper licence because that is not the way to drive."
A passenger in Mthembu's car said the taxi driver wanted to fight instead of apologising.
'Get a proper licence because that is not the way to drive'
However, they each went their own way but six hours later they met again when Mthembu's car stopped in front of Majozi's taxi. During another confrontation Mthembu shot Majozi several times.
Justice Chris Nicholson said he accepted that Mthembu did not plan or premeditate the murder but that he came across Majozi by chance.
Mthembu usually carried a gun for protection and had it on him during the first confrontation but did not use it then.
Mthembu had a promising career as a nurse and Nicholson said he regretted having to impose the sentence.
The court had to send out a deterrent message that violence cannot be tolerated.
He said Mthembu had six hours to ponder over the wrath generated in the first confrontation. He said every driver can expect to be involved in a collision at some time.
It was entirely unacceptable that anyone, even if he is the cause of a collision, can be executed by the other driver.
Many drivers are irritated by the behaviour of taxi drivers, but they are not allowed to take the law into their own hands.
They can lay charges of reckless driving or other infractions of the law against errant drivers at police stations, the judge said.
- Sapa
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